Passion of the Red Poppy
by Zoran Prower
Summary: Amy thought she had lost Sonic in a terrible wreck in the sea years ago. Yet fate places them back together again, his appearance is making her swoon. Can Amy win his heart? Or will events befalling the nation threaten their relationship?
1. The Lone Flora

**Passion of the Red Poppy**

**Main Characters (By order of appearance):**

**Amy Rose: Protagonist**

**Cream the Rabbit**

**Sonic the Hedgehog: Second Protagonist**

**Miles "Tails" Prower**

**Knuckles the Echidna**

**Cosmo Prower**

**Marine the Raccoon **

**Quick A/N: This is my first real heavy romance and I will be illustrating that particular genre more than any other. I may raise the rating. Story updated bi-weekly**

**Chapter 1: The Lone Flora**

**"****When its crimson head emerges, it receives unjust scorn, yet beneath lays the juice of hope, taken in by those in morn."**

_Anonymous_

There was no gardener quite like Amy Rose's friend, Cream the rabbit. Everyday she could be seen tending to her garden, everyday when Amy walked in to knock on her door, she smelled the scents of each individual one's fragrances. She smelled the dandelions, daises, hellebores, thornapples, violets, roses, and snapdragons, strong and heavily sweet. Each of these flowers lied in numerous amounts all over the garden, assorted in lively colors, oddly beautiful as the wind blew on them, chilling them as their presence gave her solace.

It was not necessary to think to know exactly why Cream's garden was so praised by the community. The garden was carefully and perfectly made in beautiful symmetrical geometrically rows, full of circles and squares, and fuller of tranquility and beautiful serenity.

But a deathly shadow seemed to loom over it. In the middle of the garden were two sturdy maple trees, and a lone poppy loomed under them. Amy knew that the poppy had been there for years, ever since Cream had lost her beloved, having him torn from her by the sea…

At the time of his death, the entire gang was sailing. Sonic was there, Amy remembered happily, the confident, blue hedgehog. Then there was Tails, the pilot of the quick ship, and genius fox though he did not invent it himself, and Knuckles, hothead red echidna. It was a happy trip, Amy remembered.

No, it was the happiest trip of her life, if but only for a moment. The pink hedgehog sighed, glancing as the sun strived to shine its rays below, but white puffy clouds shielded the earth from its penetrating warm rays. Yet shadows did fall from the rosy white cottage of Cream's surrounded and caressed by flora.

Amy knocked on Cream's white door with her gloved hand, pushing her pink hair back as she waited for an answer. Her other hand straightened her pink skirt, heels clicking against the rough, concrete pavement. "I'm over here, Amy." A voice called out to her. Amy turned around, to see Cream watering her daffodils. The process would take her at least an hour. Amy did not know how Cream could have such patience for such watering of a massive garden. There were far too many flowers craving water. Cosmo had taught her so much… they had been great friends.

No, the best of friends. Yet it lasted one moment too little.

"It's nice to see you Cream." Amy said to her happily. Cream acknowledged it with a twitch of her ear, one of her chocolate brown eyes giving her a quick side glance, but most of her attention was concentrated on the flowers, giving them tender care in her orange dress. It was the same focused attention and love she gave to him once…

"I was wondering if you would like to go watch our final rehearsal." Amy asked her. Amy saw her flash a smile as she began to water the thornapples. Amy no

"And what is the name of the ballet you are performing in?"

"Of Blessed Heart," Amy informed her. Yes, Amy loved ballet. Her previous exercise habits had helped her immensely to get in shape. Though, at the time, they were mostly to please Sonic, her one true, elusive love. Unfortunately…

"_Sonic!" The pink hedgehog shouted, tears pouring out of her eyes as her life raft sailed out of sight. She coddled the sobbing rabbit beside her, as the ship was hit by yet another mighty wave, crushing the structure into the mighty water…_

Amy's mind spun back to reality, her eyes back to watching Cream again. Her hands moved around the garden, pulling out a few weeds here and there, and then pouring water here and there. "What is it about?" Cream asked her.

"Well, it's about two lovers, who…" Cream shook her head, as Amy trailed off, knowing it was foolish to ever ask to attend her ballet, which was so often about lovers. Cream moved around the garden as she did, tipping the pail to soak more of her plants with needed water. Amy really did love Cream's garden. But she hated her melancholy attitude! It was so difficult for her to get an ounce of happiness to reach her heart, even more difficult for her to maintain it inside her.

Cream at last turned to her, with her typical neutral look. "I would rather not, Amy." She continued moving around her garden. Then she turned to the flower lying under the maple tree all by its lonesome. Her eyes lingered on the flower, and she slowly and carefully approached it, dragging the pail with her. Amy followed quietly, holding her response in her tongue.

"I understand." Amy sighed softly.

She couldn't tell if Cream heard her, the rabbit gazing at the poppy for a long moment, placing her pail on the ground. Her hands traced over it for a moment, with a care that was different from the other flowers, a touch that was gentler, but somehow distant, loving, but fragile.

Cream then picked up the pail and watered the plant, slowly and tenderly. She removed every weed surrounding it, and Amy silently helped her. Only when the place was deemed perfect to Cream did she finally get up and walk away from the flower.

"Cream… have you thought of, you know… falling in love again?"

Cream turned on her, and for a moment Amy thought she would yell at her, her face turning to an angry red, then lightening up, her muscles loosening to her old gloomy look. "The thought has not even grazed my heart." Cream replied quietly.

"Well, there are a lot of cute, nice guys out there." Amy boldly continued.

"There is not a single one that could care for me as he did."

"If you only gave dating another chance…"

"My soul is one with his, if his is gone, so is mine." Cream replied defiantly, and this time she was a bit angry. "Dating again may be easier for you, but you might want to realize that none of your boyfriends last longer than a month."

"That's not true!" Amy replied furiously. "I'm just trying to find someone just like So—"

"You don't get it, do you?" Cream interrupted her, her gaze fiercely directing her rage at Amy. "There is no one JUST like Sonic. There is no one just like Tails, or Knuckles, or like…" she stopped speaking abruptly. She then seemed to have lost all of her anger, and her sadness returned. Amy saw that her own worries were not as heavy as Cream's.

"You need not be afraid to say his name." Amy comforted her.

"If I do, I will fall into grief again. I will impossibly hope that he is still alive like a fool, somewhere, searching for me, that he somehow survived the wreck, as well as the others."

Amy's mind began to trail. "They said they never found the ship." Amy pointed out. "You never know, maybe some of them managed to survive."

"My soul mate fell off the ship and drowned in the sea." Cream bluntly reminded her. Amy recalled the moment with a sharp pang of sadness. Yes, he had fallen into the sea, being hard hit by waves that rivaled the power of a mini-tsunami. "I saw it myself, I saw him…" The rabbit's voice quivered and she was silent, as she looked away. Amy noticed a speck of liquid crash into the soil, being sucked into by the plants.

After a moment, Cream looked at Amy with resignation. "Amy, we just have to accept that none of them made it."

"And you just have to accept that your soul mate can't love you if he's dead." Amy responded, but instantly regretted.

"His love for me is eternal." Cream replied testily. She sighed. "Amy… I can't fall in love again. I know I sound like a quitter, but my heart is truly and only his. I shall honor that and not give it to anyone else."

Cream gave her a hug. "Look, I'll go to your performance later today, okay?

She then went into her house. Amy heard the door closed quietly, as she muttered angrily at herself. She was going only to please her, but Amy knew she hated being reminded of that incident. Her eyes began to gaze at the lonely red poppy on its own. Its petals were closed, though every other flower's petals were open.

It was almost as if it was trying to conceal something…

**A/N: How was the first chapter? Please review! And who exactly was Cream's past love? Kudos to the one who can guess!**


	2. The Captain

**Chapter 2: The Captain**

**Quick A/N: Sincere appreciations for reading and reviewing. Thanks to Alea the Fox Cat101, (Yes, this is a SonAmy. Read this chapter and you'll see where it is going.) DontKnowAName, ****Shadow's Little Angel, ****and even you, Robert James Curtois, although you speak too soon Robert, read this chapter and see why.**

"**Bring poppies for a weary mind that saddens in a senseless din"**

_**William Winter**_

All around the ship there was a hailing cheer from the sailors, as they watched the enemy ship gradually sink into the sea, rocking slowly back and forth, as an exhausted swimmer struggles in his last moments. The few captured prisoners they had taken looked at it with a look of despair as the ship was about to give out. Freedom as they knew it had been extiguished.

The blue hedgehog did not cheer with the rest of the sailors. Yet he held no love for pirates, though sightings of pirates were generally rare anywhere in the world these days except here, where the dark side of things attracted them in bunches for wealth, power, and blood. And the captain would not allow them to have any of it. It was his duty to stop such beings. Some were desperately impoverished, some were smart, preferring the life of adventurer and troublemaking to any other. And some were simply murderous, and Sonic liked these the least, for these pirates would seek on transport ships and merchant cogs, slaying everyone on board, raping, and burning, hardly caring about the wealth.

"A well fought battle, eh, Captain?" One of the sailors asked him. The hedgehog grinned at him, and scanned at the rest of his men, taking in some pride as he shifted his thoughts, but it wasn't long until he turned away, mind plagued by memories of the last ship he had sailed on, the few pieces that had been scavenged in his own room.

Ever since one accident, Tails lost his motivation for leading, Cream, if she even lived, lost her soulmate, and Cosmo, now Tails beautiful wife, lost her hearing. Sonic himself lost Amy, the last memory of her was her sailing away on a liferaft on the unstable, grumbling sea with Cream. He did not know where either was, if they even lived.

At least Knuckles escaped rather unscathed. He did not bear the marks of loss, and if the day did not cause so much suffering for Sonic and Tails, he would probably recall it often. If it weren't for Knuckles, none of them would have even made it out of there. His strength had been essential for their survival.

They had searched the high seas for both Amy and Cream, and Sonic insisted he would not rest until he had seen her body. She had left the sinking ship on a life raft, he made sure of that! But surely she would have appeared to him at some point!

Unless she had forgotten him, or perished within the sea.

"Captain Sonic?" His pilot, Tails asked him, interrupting his thoughts. Tails possessed the only plane on the boat, which could fly off quite fine that the titanium boat provided. Many of their victories were largely due to Tails genius. "Are you okay, Captain?"

"I'll be fine." Sonic told him kindly. He smiled at his friend, as the rest of the uniformed sailors were chatting rather merrily. It would be highly unlikely that the sailors would run into anything else today, but if they did, the king's best team in their navy would be very ready. "How are things back home for you?" Sonic asked, interested in how things were going for his friend.

Tails smiled his exuberant smile. He was nearly five years older than he was when he first met him, and at twelve, Sonic could safely say that he was the smartest being on the planet. Still, he preferred being home that at war, but Tails was intent on honoring the vow he, Knuckles, and Sonic had made to the king long ago. "Things aren't too bad at the moment," Tails answered him. "I still haven't found a way to restore my flower's hearing, but at the moment, Cosmo's doing pretty well without it. I'm certain one day soon I can fix this for her, as well as for others!"

Sonic gave him another smile. "Well, we'll be done with our tour in a day, so you'll be able to see her again, soon won't you?"

Tails looked surprised. "We're done tomorrow? Why, that's just outstanding! I'll hopefully have enough time to get her a gift before I embark home." Tails looked happy indeed. They had been patrolling the seas for the longest time yet, and Tails had grown most anxious during their journey.

"What are you going to do when we land?" Tails asked him. Sonic hadn't really thought about that.

"Well, the king won't return for a few more days from his trip, so I'll probably go and look for some good entertainment." Sonic answered him. "Maybe I'll enter a race, listen to a concert. I might even go watch a ballet performed by the famous Sunset performers. Sounds like a pretty good idea exactly." He turned to his friend. "Maybe we could go see it together? I've heard it's playing on the night of the day we land."

Tails shook his head, smiling. "It sounds nice, but I think I'm happy enough when my wife dances for me." Sonic raised an eyebrow, and Tails blushed. "Well… she's really good at it too! You should see her dance to the music in her head." Sonic raised his other eyebrow, and Tails flushed even more. "What's so odd about that?"

"Nothing," Sonic said, smiling, chuckling to himself, as he gazed at the sky for a moment. "Of all things, I would have never expected you to marry a plant."

"And I wouldn't have expected it either." Tails replied, laughing. Sonic was happy for his friend. He remembered so many days with his friend, from the first day he met him, to the day in which he saw Tails trying to engineer a flawless platinum ring with a flawless diamond on it, to the day he did everything in his power to protect everyone and especially his wife from the harmful waves that claimed so many others, although he was sad that because of that day, Tails refused every leadership positioned offered to him, including admiral, which was a high honor. But the event had scarred the fox for life.

Suddenly, Sonic frowned, as the ship sailed on the cool seas, clouds blocking the sight of the land they would land to. He doubted Knuckles would see the ballet. In truth, Sonic didn't really appreciate it much until after Amy was gone. Then it was the only way he felt he could honor her memory.

"Captain…" Knuckles approached him. "Shouldn't we be making a course for home by now?"

Sonic nodded. "Go ahead and give the order."

Knuckles glanced at him for a moment. "You alright?"

"As fine as ever."

"Thinking of Amy again?"

"You guessed it."

"Heh. I'm sorry. Hey, maybe on port, you'll find a nice lass."

"Yeah…" Sonic didn't really enjoy lady-hunting as much as Knuckles did. "We'll see."

The waves rustled gently as the ship continued over the rough seas.

* * *

Amy was exhausted as her foot glided on the ground again, pushing her body up as the other dancer's arms moved as if to stop her from falling as she dramatically collasped in his arms, pretending to be dead, with the halt of the music, strings ending on a dark, melancholy chord.

There was a silence for a long moment, and then the lights dimmed, and the curtains closed. Then the director burst out clapping, laughing in joy as he instructed the curtains to be opened once more.

"Ah, well done! A spectacular performance. I'm certain they won't forget this perforamce of the Sunset group!"

Amy smiled, as she went to search for Cream out in the hall. She was shielding her face with a fan, but Amy couldn't miss the tears, nor the hurt expression as she got up to leave the performance hall. She knew she should never have asked her to come. She gave the director a quick whisper and her fellow dancer a quick handshake, before moving quickly in her dancing shoes.

"Cream!" Amy shouted as she exited the performance hall, waving to get the rabbit's attention as she hustled out, a slight sprinkle falling from the sky. "Cream!"

The rabbit turned around, wiping her face with a hand before giving Amy a fake smile. "Oh, Amy. I didin't think you'd want to stop and chat."

"I'm sorry, Cream, I shouldn't have made you come."

"What are you talking about? I enjoyed it."

"Cream… you looked really hurt. I shouldn't have."

"No, really, Amy." Cream smiled, but Amy knew she was masking her pain. "I…I liked it, okay."

Her hand waved for a taxi as it stopped. "Well, thanks for coming, then."

The rabbit got in the car, and waved to her. Amy shook her head as one of the other performers came up behind her, watching the taxi pass. "Is that a friend of yours?" Amy looked behind her to see the mouse, Mindy, inquiring curiously.

"Yes, that's Cream."

"Nice to have guests." Mindy noted. "Although I can't wait for tomorrow night. Typically its just families, but sometimes you can find a hot single man who wants to see the fine legs of a woman." She winked at Amy. "I'm certain I'll draw more eyes than you."

"You don't even have the main part." Amy sighed, as her hand waved for a taxi.

"You could probably surpass me if you weren't so weighed down." The mouse added. "There is nothing wrong with a one-night stand, if you ask me. Makes it all the easier. Especailly if you lose them."

"Yeah… well, goodbye." Amy replied, as a taxi stopped and she opened its doors.

"Evergreen road, number 43." Amy instructred the driver. She then sighed as she thought of poor Cream… and she could not help but think of her lost love, deep within the sea…

… and Sonic, sailing toward port, could not but think of Amy, perhaps floating dead somewhere in the sea, having starved to death, as he felt the rain drops peck at his blue skin, the ship lumbering ever towards the meeting point and reunion.

**A/N: How was chapter 2? Please, continue giving me feedback so I can continue satisfying you, the reader. **

**No one's guessed or got it right yet, so if someone wishes to make a guess on Cream's past love, go ahead. There may even be a prize… **


	3. Rebirth of Desire

**Chapter 3:**** Rebirth of Desire**

**Acknowledgements: Shadow's Little Angel, Crimson, DontKnowAName, and crimsonpuppet. Good guesses, all of them. I won't reveal the answer yet, but I will say Cream's love is not an O.C. **

**Quick A/N: King Victor the Bold is Victor the Crocodile**

_**To feel the spirit of youth, smell the daffodil. To feel the spirit of love, touch a rose. To risk the perils of death, taste a hellebore. And when you die, let the poppy be the sight above your grave.**_

**~ Lover of Flowers**

The King Victor the Bold had done an excellent job of helping the poor. But poverty is immortal, and thus, society would not be surprise to see the odd fox or tiger or any other animal wander around with rags and money. It always hurt Amy's heart more when it was a mother with a sick child, or a child with a sick mother.

She noticed a mother and child walking on the streets with rags, and the mother possessing only three-quarters of her teeth. The child didn't even have shoes, and all sorts of cuts were on his feet. Feeling terribly sorry for the two, she talked to them, saying that she would purchase two tickets for the ballet for them. The two heartily agreed.

She then went to the ticket vendor, heels clicking on the ground as passerbys bustled around her. "Ah, Miss Rose. You know, the ballet is free for you."

She shook her head. "Of course I know that. I'm buying two tickets for someone else."

"Oh… well, alright. That will be ¥1000 yen."

Amy pulled out a single bill with a picture of the king Victor himself on one side, the number 1000 scrawled on the other, and then exchanged it for two tickets as the vendor punched in buttons on the cash register. "Have a good performance Mrs. Rose." He called to her, as she smiled at him and walked towards the mother and daughter. They smiled as she handed them both tickets. "I hope you enjoy the show." She said sweetly. She then felt a drop of rain gently splat against her shoulder, and she felt relieved that she had bought the two some time out of the rain.

The two nodded in gratitude, as Amy quickly went to prepare herself as she went through the backstage door, hearing the bustling of make up artists, comstume workers, stage managers, and actors. She entered her dressing room, grabbing a brush, putting on her costume, a simple blue bodice and a white dress, as a make-up artist quickly applied make-up onto her face. She sighed as she heard voices calling the performers. The show was about to start, and Amy could not help but feeling nervous as she began walking out of her room.

"Come on, Amy. Get out there, the show's about to start!" The director called out at her. Hey, that's enough make up, Daph, we're ready! Let's get this show going! We've got heroes to honor here! Mindy, tell the stage crew to dim the lights! We're starting!"

The blue hedgehog was already wet, wearing a black fedora, jacket,a nd sunglasses to somewhat tone down his apperance. Although normally he wouldn't mind some attention, today he just wanted some quiet, some alone time.

The theater's walls were a velvet read, the entrance arched with two black columns supporting it, and the ticket vendor's station facing the front, as the hedgehog could see a yawning young male hedgehog tap his fingers against the cash register. Above flashed the sign "Sunset Theater".

He used to hate ballet, always crossing his arms and refusing to have a good time when he was young, his mother still alive, insisting he relaxed. But he was restless, always restless, always wanting to go, never desiring to settle down.

It wasn't until he lost something close that he finally realized he was too restless, one moment too late.

The young male vendor looked up as the hedgehog approached him. "How many tickets?"

"Just one." Sonic replied.

"That will be ¥500."

The hedgehog nodded as he reached for his wallet, withdrawing a single coin with 500 etched on one face.

The vendor punched the buttons on the register, and then handed him the ticket, as the cash register opened and he popped the coin inside. "The show's probably about to begun, if it already hasn't started. I'd hurry inside if I were you."

"Thanks." The hedgehog said to him. He hesitated for a moment, wondering whether going to the ballet would even be worth it. He longed to be in the past, but he knew it probably wouldn't be very enjoyable to him. He trudged his boots in the carpet as he sighed, hearing the orchestra's violins inside echo in the front hall. Perhaps he could have gone with Knuckles to a club, or with Tails to visit Cosmo. He shrugged. He could always see Cosmo, and he could always laugh at Knuckles's attempts to winning the finest lass. But the ballet didn't perform very often.

The room was very dimmed as the hedgehog took a seat in the back, jumping as the music reached a loud dynamic, and a mist seemed to envelop the stage. As he took a seat, he noticed two characters dancing, both wielding rapiers, acting as if in combat, but dancing around each other feet gently clicking against the floor. The whole idea was humorous to him.

One fell to the ground, wounded, and two other dancers came to his aid, and the music stopped suddenly, the dancers freezing. Sonic yawned, as the rest of the audience was at the edge of their seats, waiting for something to happen.

Then with a flutter from the flute, another dancer emerged from the mist.

Sonic thought his heart had surely stopped beating for a moment.

Her hair was long, curled, and pink, and her figure was clearly that of a hedgehog, lean, and graceful as her legs kicked out against the floor. The men in the scene stopped and looked upon her, as if amazed, and the whole audience semed to acknowledge her as beautiful. Silk white satin dress clinged against her legs, delicious curves on her sides, and the hedgehog's eyes took a chance at her chest, and was not dissatisfied there either, round, but neither too large nor barely visible. Her hips drived him craziest of all, swinging with such a rhythm he just wanted to caress his hands against her skin.

Somehow she seemed familiar, and yet Sonic was sure he had never seen her again. Her make-up was rich, illuminating her skin a rosy pink. There were similariites that reminded him of Amy, but there was something so different… so much more mature.

Sonic was right when he figured he would lose interest in the ballet. Now, his interest was all in this woman.

As she acquired a lover as the ballet went on, he became slightly jealous, even though he knew the whole thing was fictional. The male dancer would touch her hips, her hands, coddle her against him, and it ignited a great anger within him. While others cheered between dances, his heart roared in protest.

Then, as it neared the conclusion, he felt a stab of pain, as the beautiful lady would fall to her death, the music entering an unerriee silence. The hedgehog didn't even realize it was the end, even when people started clapping, until the curtains finally closed. Some people in the crowd had tears rolling down their eyes as their hands clapped thunderously, and even some of those with stony hearts nodded and smiled with approval.

The stage director then credited each of the actors, as they individually or in a group bowed. Sonic waited anxiously for one in particular, and when he saw her eyes scan the audience he smiled at her, almost waving. Then when her eyes came his way, he looked away, as if he was unworthy. He then grabbed his jacket and fedora, and left the ballet.

He had to see her again, and yet she was too beautiful, surely taken. For a moment, he stopped as his hand was raised for a taxi to Tails' house, as he wanted to see his friend before he retired for the night. Then his foot turned around, and he walked toward the backstage.

He tapped his foot patiently as no one came out, then looked as a white female mouse appeared, looking at him with surprise, then her lips twisted into a curt smile, looking him up and down.

"Hmm… aren't you a fine man? Can I ask what you seek here?"

Sonic looked at her in surprise at her question. "I wanted to see the main character." He told her. "I'd like to speak to her."

"Hmm… oh, the main character, eh?" The mouse pasued. "She's already left. But… you're welcome to talk to me, handsome." The mouse chuckled. "Oh, I assure you, I'm not bad company."

"I'm sure you're not." Sonic said, very dissapointed. "Well…" The hedgehog reached for a piece of paper, then wrote a message on it for Amy. It said "_Dear Lead Lady: I do not know your name, and you do not know mine, but I'd like a chance to chat, if you don't mind. My name's Sonic, and I'll be staying here a few days before I go back on defense duty. Seek me out at Ruby's Hostel."_

He had written it quickly, and hoped his writing was legible. "Can you give this to her please."

"Oh, certainly." The mouse smiled. "Well, it was certainly nice meeting you…" Yet Sonic was already walking away as a taxi neared.

The mouse shook her head, then ripped the paper in half in threw it in a trashcan. She was supposed to be the main character, not that pinky! She was the more attractive one! How did she compel this handsome hedgehog's attention! She groveled with jealousy as she watched the hedgehog's taxi leave. _"Ruby's hostel, eh?"_ She thought to herself. Maybe he won't mind if I'm the one to pay a visit instead?

"I saw him, Cream!" Amy repeated to her friend Cream. "I'm certain of it!"

The two were backstage, and Cream had her hands crossed, looking at Amy very carefully as she changed back into her casual attire. "Look, I haven't lost my mind, Cream. He had the same blue fur, that same smile and free look about him. I'd know that hedgehog anywhere; I chased him everywhere for goodness sake!"

The rabbit shook her head. "If I knew you were going to start about this again, I wouldn't have come here to pick up you after your ballet. Stop messing around Amy."

"Cream, why would I lie to you about this?" Amy said, frustrated with her respone.

"I'm going home." The rabbit said, picking up her purse. "You can take a taxi."

"Cream!" Amy called after her, but the rabbit already had arleady slammed the door, heels clicking furiously against the ground.

The hedgehog turned her head sadly as her friend left. "_I know I saw him, I'm not imagining things!" _The hedgehog thought to herself. "_Maybe he's out there right now."_

Excited, the pink hedgehog grabbed her purse, and began running out of her dressing rooms, out of the backstage door in her heels.

As she burst through the door, she quickly glanced to her right, then turned to the corner, shouting "Sonic!"

She just caught a small glimpse of him, as his taxi door closed, and the taxi driver slowly drive away. She began to run quicker, but someone grabbed her shoulder.

"Oh, what makes you in such a rush, Rose?" A female voice asked.

Amy turned to look at a rather voluptuous mouse, which Amy recognized as Mindy, or Lovely Mindy, as her enamored men called her. The mouse blinked, her long eyelashes clearly showing innocent curiosity, which Amy was sure was another one of her ploys to stop her from getting another man the mouse wanted to get for herself.

"I've got no time, Mindy." Amy drawled back, pushing her hand away as she searched for the hedgehog in vain.

"If you're looking for the hedgehog, he's already gone." The mouse continued, walking a half-circle around Amy. "I only got to speak to him for a moment, but he was certainly a very… charming lad. Definitely one worth bringing to the bed."

"What?" Amy growled. The mouse winked at her.

"Oh, he complimented me about my performance, of course. Of course, any man would, but I let the dashing lad lavish me with his pretty words." She then turned away from Amy, beginning to walk away. "He did say something about you… I think.

"Well, what did you say?!" Amy asked, impatiently.

"Oh, my memory must have slipped. I think it was something about how funny you danced." The mouse smiled as Amy gnashed her teeth together, glaring at the back of the mouse's head. "And may I say, you did mess up on the seventh number…"

She was playing her again! The hedgehog knew it. Occasionaly Amy had an admirer, but the mouse would always seduce them, unless she found him unattractive, but sometimes she did it anyway just to prove she was the more attractive one. Yet if the mouse managed to get the hedgehog to go in bed with her, she would flail the mouse alive. Sonic was hers, and always hers.

But this time, unlike all the previous times, she would find him… and keep him with her.

**A/N: So they see one another, Sonic enamored, and Amy seeking to find him… but Mindy has other ideas. What will happen? Review, give feedback, and wait for the next chapter!**


	4. The Heart's Will

**Chapter 4: The Heart's Will**

**Acknowledgements: Kizzifoshnizzie, Pyroboy5000, Samantha27, and Krazy Sean 19. Thank you for comments and/or putting this story on your alert or favorites. Always good to hear comments or have dedicated readers.**

**Quick A/N: Sorry for the late update. As the end of the year approaches, with a project and the world premiere of my music composition, I had little time for writing. To reward your patience, expect another chapter exactly 48 hours from now.**

"_**And left the flushed print in a poppy there."**_

**~Francis Thomas**

Sonic the hedgehog sighed as he closed the door of the taxi, standing outside the gate of Tails' home. The yard was filled with apple trees, lemon trees, vegetables growing all over the ground, as well as exotic flowers. Sonic knew underneath however, was a scientist's lab, and knew that a runaway ran underneath, opening up near some cliff, although Sonic wasn't sure of the location.

He opened the fence door, walking the cobble stone path, and knocking on the white door. He tapped his foot for a few moments, and then the door opened.

Cosmo Prower stood in the doorway, peering with pleasant surprise at Sonic's appearance, giving him a quick hug, and then spoke to him, at a somewhat loud volume."Sonic, this is a pleasant surprise!" Cosmo smiled. "What brings you here?"

Sonic hardly knew any sign language, and thus, tried to draw a picture with his fingers, attempting to show Cosmo that he was just here to visit. The Seedrian only looked at him confused. He then laughed at himself, and then used one of the few hand signals he knew, that of yes.

The Seedrian giggled, and then Sonic noticed Tails behind the door. "Hey Tails!" The hedgehog reached to embrace his best friend, and then shook his hand. "Sorry, but I couldn't really say much to your wife."

"Ah, no matter. I think I'm on my way to invent something to address her deafness." Tails told him. "Just a matter of days, I'm certain."

Sonic smiled, but he did not miss the uncertainty that seemed painted on Tails' face for a moment. He put a reassuring hand on Tails' shoulder. "It will work this time, Tails. I believe in you."

"Thanks," Tails smiled, but he didn't sound as if he believed it. "Come in Sonic, we shouldn't leave you out in the cold." Sonic smiled graciously as they allowed him entrance.

Tails motioned Sonic to sit on their couch, sitting down on a sofa opposite him, as Cosmo went into the kitchen for some late-night snacks and refreshments, giving her husband a peck on the cheek before doing so.

The blue hedgehog looked at the house. Outside was all beauty and garden, but the inside still crawled with a few "pet plants", as Cosmo called them. There were a few pictures of the two of them, separate and together, but the walls were rather bare besides their own portraits on furniture and hanging on the smooth concrete surface.

"Cosmo's made it real nice, hasn't she?" The fox asked the hedgehog. Sonic gave his ole' grin as he nodded, noticing the fatigue in Tails.

"Did you get right to work?" The hedgehog asked, startled. "I'd think you'd rest a little first."

The fox looked at the hedgehog with a shake of his head. "No, every day I wait is a day she is deprived of hearing. I have to return it to her, Sonic, I must."

The hedgehog was surprised at the level of determination as the fox spoke, eyes narrowed and fatigue gone, yet as he relaxed it returned, as Cosmo gave the two a cup of tea and an orange and a slice of cheese and bread, which Sonic gobbled down eagerly, having not eaten since he arrived, as Tails drank his tea, somewhat amused by the hedgehog's hunger.

"Erm… are you hungry, Sonic?" The plant asked. "I can make us a more filling-meal…"

"Oh, no thank you, Cosmo!" Sonic shook his head, smiling. "I don't want to take too much of your time. Just want to make sure Tails is settling in." Sonic then remembered he couldn't understand her, but Tails was already translating for him with his hands.

"Yes, I would like for Tails to take a rest tonight… but he is rather insistent on his work." Cosmo mentioned.

"It's all for you." Tails reminded her, hands moving swiftly to form the words.

"All the same, I don't get to spend much time with you while you're down there." Cosmo added.

"It will be worth it." The fox promised her. He gulped down his tea, and then set the glass down. "That was quite tasty, Cosmo!" He smiled at his wife, and then turned to Sonic. "Well, I better get back to work on the invention. Come by for dinner tomorrow, if you'd like, Sonic."

"I'll certainly consider it." Sonic said, as the two shook hands. Tails then kissed his wife, and then exited the room, going towards his lab.

"Thank you for the treat, Mrs. Prower." Sonic said with a smile. Cosmo looked at him oddly, and then drew out a piece of paper and pencil from the coffee table between them. "Oh, that helps." Sonic said, as he wrote what he said to her.

The plant nodded, as Sonic began writing another message for her. "How are you and Tails?" He asked.

The plant sighed, as she looked at him shyly. "He works hard." Cosmo informed him. "Too hard. I'd like for him to spend time with me… but he feels too guiltly seeing me in my situation. He hasn't forgotten that day…"

"Neither have I." Sonic wrote.

"I just wish he'd stop denying himself happiness." Cosmo continued. "He could be a real admiral, and yet…"

"His guilt and fear makes him refuse." Sonic finished for her speaking, then forgetting she couldn't understand him, wrote it down.

Cosmo smiled sadly. "Well, as soon as it is over, you'll spend a lot more time together. And you can speak to each other!" The hedgehog wrote to her.

It was quiet for a moment. "Well… I'd guess I better go." The hedgehog told her, giving her a quick parting smile as the plant guided him towards the door, opening it for him, as he gave back the pencil. He then sluggishly tried to do the symbol for "see you later" as Cosmo giggled at his efforts.

"I will see you later too, Sonic." The plant told him, closing the door gently.

The hedgehog felt the rain pouring slightly still, as he yawned. It was time to crash in his apartment. His stomach growled as he began moving towards his apartment.

"Man, I'm starving!"

The plant sighed as she closed the door behind her, slowly stacking up the plates in the dishes, turning on the sink water as it pounded against the metal surfaces, slowly filling it up as Cosmo plugged the drain, pouring antibacterial soap into the water. This was so odd to her once, but adjusting to life here had been much easier with Tails' help.

She turned off the sink water, grabbing a wash cloth, gently scrubbing the dishes as she tried to take in the scent of one of her nearby snapdragons, the scent strong and refreshing in the kitchen. But it was not enough to lighten up the sadness in her, as she listened to the sound of clinging and electricity zaps in the lab downstairs.

As soon as the last dish was cleaned, and placed gently into the drainboard, the green plant crawled alone into bed, turning off the light, hoping that at least, the fox wouldn't make this an all-nighter, being beside her as she awoke to morning.

Amy could not stop thinking about him. When she turned the corner, she imagined him, standing against the wall, smiling at her, index finger curling for her to come closer.

When she entered her apartment, she saw him on the bed, lying, eye-brow raised with a seductive smile, as if beckoning him forward.

When she cleaned her dishes, she imagined him looking upon her from the kitchen table, smiling, of course; perhaps thinking on how to approach her for a kiss, or some other delight she was all but too willing to give.

Cream had not believed her, but she was certain, and Mindy only confirmed it. She knew Mindy lied, knew that Sonic had probably asked for her, and she probably even knew. But short of illegal activity, she could not derive the answer from Mindy.

Her muscles were fatigued, but her eyes would not close as she lied in the bed, head turned toward the window, stars shining bright out into the light. Restless, she got up to get a drink of water, and then sat on a chair, turning on the light. She then got a book, reading it over, but she could not take it. Desire drove her feet, her cheeks were flustered, her nether regions suddenly feeling great need, and her legs had to move. Her heart fluttered with agitation, and a few minutes later, Amy was wrapped in a coat, shoes, and a hat, closing her apartment door.

Glancing around her carefully, her feet moved swiftly toward the park, where she believed the outdoor air would calm her senses. The streets were silent, cars inactive, the sight of nothing but one young couple passionately kissing near a house door, the man struggling with his keys as he and his lover, already partially undressed, rushed in hungrily. A bark of a dog sounded from within a house from across a street. The lights shined brightly, as she gently passed under their shadows, some from the moon, partially covered by dark clouds in the sky.

A chill in the air made the hedgehog shivered as she sat on a park bench, alone. She looked upon a small lake, the moon light reflecting beautifully nearby. If they meet again… she would take Sonic here. It was so peaceful… so romantic… so isolated…

A foot step behind her made her heart freeze like ice, her spine feeling a chill, rms halting, legs suddenly unable to move. Her eyes were too afraid even to try to glance behind her, as a cool sweat dropped from her pores. The steps were so silent that she had hardly heard him.

"Oi," A voice cried behind her. "What's a lass like yerself doing out here alone?"

She glanced behind her as a raccoon of moderate height examined her carefully, whilst next to her, a red echidna, slightly drunk, suddenly leaned toward her at a interval which made her very uncomfortable.

"Hic! Hello there, pretty…" He seemed oddly familiar, but if he was, his drunkness was disgusing it well.

"Give it a break, dog." The marine growled. "Found him drunk. Obviously a member of his military. Should tell the king to do something about this…"

"Wait, who are you?" Amy asked them.

"Oh, yes, of course." The raccoon suddenly remembered, as the red echidna suddenly glanced at a light post with great interest. "I'm Marine…"

"What's his name?" Amy asked curiously, looking at the red echidna, who was laughing at his reflection in the lake.

"Oi! Dumbo! What's yer name?"

The red echidna turned around, laughing. "Don't you know, pretty lass?" He started dancing in circles.

The raccoon rolled her eyes. "Anyway, you really shouldn't be out here… especially here. It's known for…"

Suddenly the raccoon silenced herself, as another movement appeared within the trees…

"Them." She whispered silently. Amy turned around as she noticed another figure, this one of strong canine characteristics, with a hat and a smile she disliked, and a pistol in his holster.

"Pleasant Night, isn't it?" He asked. "It's only going to get better, I might add."

His smile struck fear in Amy's mind, curved just slightly, while a hand gently touched his holster, with easy access, allowing for a very quick draw. Amy thought she felt her heart skip a beat…

**A/N: I find it odd that so many authors make Cosmo a vegetarian. Plants are either photosynthetic or carnivores, (eating small animalia), not herbivores. Just my thoughts… **

**Feel free to comment on this chapter! I, like most authors, appreciate feedback.**


End file.
